“Images On Your Website Are Hugely Impactful, So Don’t Spoil It By Using Poor Quality Ones”
As visual beings, we’re naturally drawn to the imagery (photos, graphics) we see on websites – whether they’re good quality images or not. And like we might when encountering ‘poor quality writing’ on a website, we instinctively make a ‘judgement’ on poor images too. Unprofessional?
Now there may be occasions when you have no choice, but it’s actually better to offer no image at all, if the alternative is to offer a poor quality one.
Why We Should Use Images on Our Websites
Using images on a website can be effective in a number of important ways, including:
- Adding impact
- Drawing attention
- Breaking-up content
- Creating layout structure
- Informing and illustrating
- Decoration and styling
- Aesthetic enhancement
- Helps with SEO
Some of these image use-cases will be prerequisite; such as your organisation’s branding and style, or where specific contextual images are required – a photo of the specific place or person for example. And even these images can be greatly enhanced by an experienced photo editor (contact us!).
However, most images used on most websites are, to some degree, generic – meaning that potentially there are many images that would fit equally well in the particular context you require. Given that choice in these cases, wouldn’t it be wise to use the best quality image available to you?
Source Good Quality Images for Your Website
There are many royalty-free photo libraries available on the Web. Professional and semi-professional photographers just want their work seen and used, and will offer a selection of stock images for free. They’ll likely be even more to choose from if you’re a charity or non-profit making organisation.
Just use a Search Engine and type in something like ‘royalty-free image library’ or ‘free image library’. All these libraries will have their own search system to allow you to drill-down on any topic you are looking for.
Further Refinement
If you have the in-house capability or have access to someone with photo-editing skills, remember this gives you additional practical and creative options.
Most photos found on photo library websites offer options on the photo size (width/height, not bytes), the largest versions will allow you to crop-in on areas of the photo that work better for you. You can also change the ratio too – change a portrait image into a landscape image, or a square image.
Commission Photography
If you are in a situation where you really do require bespoke images for your website, it is worth seeking out a professional or semi-professional photographer to see what they can offer.
With digital technologies, the whole photographic process has in many ways, become easier and cheaper, and as a consequence there are many more people taking photographs. Some will naturally go on to learn the art of photography in more depth, and perhaps one of them is a friend of friend?
Commissioning a decent photographer may not be as expensive as you might imagine, and the results could really improve your image.